Mold for cushion-heels



M. C. CLARK.

MOLD FOR CUSHION HEELS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 13 1920- Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

UNITED STATES MAURICE C. CLARK, OF FRANKLIN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOLD FOR CUSHION-HEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed May 13, 1920. Serial No. 381,010.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE C. CLARK, a citizen of the United States residin at Franklin, in the county of Norfolk, tate of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Molds for Cushion-Heels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the art of manufacturing cushion-heels for shoes and slippers, and particularly to the molds for forming and vulcanlzmg the heels.

One object of the invention 18 to provide a mold for forming and vulcanizing a heel having a pronged astening-element or spider embedded in its structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for holding the fastening-element in place during the molding operation to locate it in correct position in the heel.

Another object of the inventlon 1s to provide means for holding the fastening-element in such relation in the mold that'the ends of its prongs will proj ect' from the face of the finished heel when the latter is removed from the mold.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for forming a countersunk screwor nail-hole in the heel corresponding with a countersunk aperture in the, fastening-element.

Another object of the improvement 15 to provide for a more convenient and easy method of operation of the molding means whereby to facilitate the manufacture of the article in large quantities.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the description of the embodlment of my improved mold set forth in the following specification which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings. .In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view showmg one type of attachable heel adapted to be manufactured in my improved mold, and illustrating it as applied to the permanent heel of the shoe;

Fig. 2, a plan view of the heel;

3, a perspective view of the heel;

Fig. 4, a plan view of the lower or main portion of my improved mold;

Fig. 5, a cross-sectional view through the mcgd, taken on the line X-X of Fig. 4; an

Fig. 6, a side View of the top-plate of the mold.

Referring first to rigs. 1, 2 and 3, the type of heel H here shown consists in a toplift for attachment to the main leather or .wooden heel K of theshoe, and particularly for use on ladies slippers or dress shoes having the so-called high or French heels. The heel H is usually made of rubber or composition material to provlde a cushioning action and is generally marketed as a repair part for replacing the worn top-lift of the original heel on the shoe. In applying such heels to ladies shoes or slippers having slender heels ofwood it is extremely difficult to attach them 1n place with nails or screws without splitting or breaking the permanent part of the heel on the shoe. To avoid this danger the present type of heel is attached with only one screw or nail S at its center, see Fig. l, and is held from turnin by sharp-pointed spurs or prongs p whic project from its attaching face to be indented into the main heel K- As shown in Figs. 1 anl 2, the prongs p are formed at the ends of the arms p which radiate from the center of a metal fastening-element or spider P which is embedded in the body of the heel H. The spider P is provided at its center with a hole h for the nail or screw S which attaches the heel in place, and surrounding the hole is a cupped or countersunk recess 1' for receiving the beveled head of the nail or screw.

In manufacturing heels of the type above described it has been found a difiicult matter to embed the fastening-element in the body of the heel with accuracy and uniformity. The plate or spider P must be located accurately at the center of the heel H and also with exact relation to the attaching face thereof in order that the fastening-prongs p may project the proper distance therefrom. Cushion-heels of this nature are generally molded from rubber or composition in a more or less plastic state member P in proper position in the moldin accurately spaced relation with the walls thereof; and to also look said member in fixed position to prevent the material entering the mold from forcing it out of place. It is further necessary to prevent the material from filling the recess 1' of the screw-hole h in the member P and to also provide for forming a recess and a ertures communicating with the hole to al ow the insertion of the screw therethrough. To accomplish these results while rendering the operation of the apparatus simple and easy to perform and uniformly accurate in its work I have devised the improved mold as next described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5 my improved mold comprises two cooperating parts: a main portion or bottom-member 2 and a cover or top-plate 3, both of which are preferably constructed of metal. Usually the mold is made in gang form with its 00- operating parts of convenient size to provide for a plurality of heel-cavities, or single molds. For slmplification of illustration, however, I have shown a single mold in the drawings, it-being understood that the multiple mold is merely a duplication of the single unit.

For convenience of manufacture the main or bottom portion 2 of the mold is usually constructed in two parts comprising fiat plates 4 and 5 which are held together by pins or dowels 6, or any other suitable means, see Fig. 5. The lower plate 5 is formed at its center with a raised convex boss 7 which corresponds in outline to the shape of the heel to be molded. The boss 7 is beveled at 8 around its outer edge and serves as a former for the face of the heel lift to be applied against the permanent heel of the shoe to shape it with a slight concavity whereby to adapt it to be more snugly fitted in place.

he upper plate 4: is cut away at its center to form a cavity ,9 shaped to the outline of V the heel and adapted to mold its sides. The sides of the cavity 9 flare outwardly to provide the necessary draft to facilitate the withdrawal of the heel from the mold; and also to mold its sides slightly bell-shaped to conform to the flaring bottom of the permanent heel of the shoe. Surrounding the cavity 9 is a relatively shallow groove or depres-- sion 10 for receiving the overflow of material squeezed out of the mold when the coverplate 3 is pressed down the bottom section 2.

For supporting the fastening-element or spider P in position in the heel cavity 9 of the mold I provide a central, shouldered spindle or teat 11. For convenience of manufacture the support 11 may be made as a separate element in the form of a pin 12 riveted through a .hole in the bottom plate 5. The pin 12 is formed with a flange 13 against the top of which abuts the top of the boss 7 on the plate 5 and provides an annular shoulder or ledge with the teat l1 projecting above it. The flange or ledge 13 serves as a rest for the cupped or countersunk central portion of the fastening-member P which is to be embedded in the body of the heel. Surrounding the rest 13 is a row of recesses or depressions 14 cut into the face of the boss 7 and adapted to receive the points of the prongs p on the fastening-member or spider P when the latter is set in place on its seat or support 11.

The cover 3 of the mold consists simply in a flat plate adapted to fit against the bottom portion 2 of the mold and provided with taper-ended dowel pins 15 for engaging holes 16 in the bottom section to guide the cover into place thereon. At the center of the top-plate 3 is a projection or stud 17 adapted to set down against the'top of the teat 11 in the cavity 9 with its beveled edge 18 hearing against the sides of the cupped or countersunk depression in the center of the spider P. As shown in Fig. 5, the stud 17 may be formed as the head of a pin 19 driven through a hole in the plate 3 and riveted in place therein. Having now described the construction and arrangement of my improved mold, its method of operation will next be explained.

Whether used singly or in series the method of operation of the device is the same. The bottom or main part of the mold is placed on a suitable support, usually in a press, and the fastening device or spider P applied to position in the heel-cavity 9 by setting it on the central spindle or support 11. In setting the spider P in place on its rest 11 the operator rotates it slightly to cause its rongs p to seat in the depressions 14 in the 0s 7. The cavity 9 is then filled with the plastic material from which the heel is to be molded and the top-plate 3 brought down against the bottom member 2 to compress the material into a dense mass the top-plate 3 is forced down against the main mold-section 2 its central stud 17 bears against the sides of the depression 1" in the spider P to hold it firmly on the rest 11, whereby to prevent its displacement by the pressure of the material in the mold. As the cover-plate 3 closes against the bottomsection 2 of the mold the excess material is squeezed out into the overflow groove 10 and the main mass of material in the cavity 9 is compressed into shape around the spider P. In accordance with the usual practice the cover-plate 3 is finally clamped down against the bottom-section 2 and the heel is then subjected to the vulcanizing process to harden the material. After the vulcanizing is completed the cover-plate 3 is removed and the finished heel may be easily withdrawn by separating the bottom-plate 5 from the plate 4 and forcing the heel out of the cavity 9.

It has been pointed out that the spider P is placed in the mold with its prongs p seated in the depressions l t in the face of the boss 7 so that when the molding and hardening of the heel is completed the points of the prongs 2 will project beyond the face of the heel to adapt them for the purpose above explained. It is also to be noted that the holding stud 17 for the spider P serves as a core for forming an enlarged recess in the bottom face of the heel to accommodate the head of the screw or nail which is inserted through the center of the heel to hold the latter in place. The stud 17 also prevents the material from filling the countersunk recess *1 in the spider which receives the tapered head of the screw S, as shown in Fig. 1; and the flange or rest 11 beneath the spider forms an enlarged opening for the body or shank of the screw. The enlargement of this opening is of advantage as providing a clearance around the sides of the screw so as to allow the heel to be drawn more closely or snugly against the face of the permanent heel to which it is attached.

It will be observed that my invention provides an extremely simple and eflicient means for locating and locklng the fastening-element or snider P in place in the mold to insure its proper relation in the heel H and to provide for the projection of its fasteni prongs p beyond the attaching face of the heel.

Various modifications might be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts of the mold without departing from the s irit or scope of the invention; therefore, Without limiting myself to the exact embodiment herein shown and described, what I claim is:

I. In a mold for cushion-heels, the combination of complemental mold-sections provided with a cavity for forming the heel, a rest carried by one section within the heelcavity to adapt it to support a fasteningelement to be embedded in the heel, and a clamping-member carried by the other section and adapted to bear against the fastening element to hold it in place on its rest.

2. In a mold for cushion-heels, the combination of complemental mold-sections provided with a cavity for forming the heel, and a rest on one of the sections for sup portin a pronged fastening-element to be embed ed in the heel, the bottom of the heelcavity being provided with openings for receiving the points of the prongs of the fastening-element so that the latter will project beyond the attaching face of the finished heel.

3. In a mold for cushion-heels, the combination of a lower mold-section, an upper section for cooperating therewith, said sections provided with a cavity for forming the heel and with the bottom of the cavity formed with indentations for receiving the points of a pronged fastening-element to be embedded in the heel, and means projecting into the cavity to engage the fastening-element to hold it in position with its points seated in the indentations.

4. In a mold for cushion-heels, the combination 'of a lower mold-member having a heel-cavity, a rest in said cavity for supporting a fastening-element to be embedded in the heel, an upper mold-member adapted to set against the lower member to compress the material in the heel-cavity, and means carried by said upper member adapted to bear against the fastening-element to hold it in place on its rest.

5. In a mold for cushion-heels, the combination of a lower mold-section having a heel-cavity, a central spindle projecting upwardly into the heel-cavity and provided with a ledge for supporting a fastening-element to be embedded in the heel, an upper mold-section for cooperating with the lower section, and a stud carried by said upper section and adapted to enter a recess in the fastening-element to engage its sides to clamp it against the ledge on the spindle.

6. In a mold for cushion-heels, the combination of complemental sections provided with a heel-cavity for forming the heel, a shouldered spindle projecting into the cavity to engage the central opening of a fastening-element to be embedded in the heel, and a beveled stud projecting into the cavity in opposite relation to the spindle to adapt it to engage a countersunk recess in the fastening-element to hold the latter in place on the s indle.

7 n a mold for cushion-heels, the combination of a bottom-plate having a convex boss for shaping the attaching face of the heel, an upper plate having a cavity for forming the heel, a top-plate for covering the cavity, a shouldered spindle-projecting above the boss on the bottom plate to sup port a fastening-element in predetermined relation to the walls of the cavity, and a projection extending into the cavity from the top-plate and adapted to bear against the fastening-element to hold it in place on its spindle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MAURICE c. CLARK. 

